TOPIC: Question: ITTO Resource Calendars

Hi, I have a few questions on Resource Calendars that I need some clarification on as I know I am missing a few dots to make the connection.

I am a little confused on Resource Calendars as I see that they are an output of Acquire Project Team, but also Conduct Procurements has an output of a Resource Calendar. Then looking back into the Planning phase, Resource Calendars are used back in Planning phase. Should the way I think about this is that Resource Calendars from Acquire Project Team is more of the internal while the Resource Calendar from the Conduct Procurements is applicable to contracted external resources?

If the project team Resource Calendars doesn't get created until Acquire Project Team and Conduct Procurements in Execution, then how are the Resource Calendars being utilized in the Planning Phase process groups in Estimate Activity Durations, Develop Schedule, Plan Cost Management, Determine Budget so early if we have already concluded Planning? I am trying to understand how the document flows in a first time planning pass.

Thank you for the help!

Steven,

I think of this in that the activities you are referring to are happening in parallel. It is most often the case that the project plan is being developed even before you have finalized acquiring the project team or procured external resources that may be needed to meet the project objectives. Or, you may be planning the project with the internal project team and then use that information to develop a Request for Proposal(RFP) to secure the external resources needed to complete the project. The latter process can take some time but once concluded would require updates to the project management plan. Resource calendars would need to be updated based on the external (i.e. contractor) members of the project team but would not be known until a contract was actually signed. Or, to say a different way, you could develop the initial resource calendars knowing how many of a particular resource is required but may not have specifics about those resources until further analysis. For example, it might be that during the RFP and bidding process the contractor recommends modifications to the proposal that would require changes to the number of resources that you had originally thought would be enough to complete the work. In a perfect world you could know all of the resources required upfront and not need to go back to update them but I think that rarely happens. You would also need to update the resource calendar in the event new people come into or are substituted during the project.

I hope this helps.

Mark